Eventually
by whatsgold
Summary: AU. Katniss is a college sophomore, trying to deal with everything life throws at her.
1. Chapter 1

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP. BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP. BEEPBEE-_ My arm shoots out and slams down on the alarm clock. I squint one eye open and look at the time. _It cannot be 6 already_. I groan to myself and use every ounce of willpower I have to fling the covers off of my body, which results in a chill running up my spine. I am jolted awake by the sudden change in temperature. _Mental note: wear warmer pajamas_. I half-consciously stumble over to my closet, pulling on shorts, a holey t-shirt, and my running shoes, the soles worn down from years of pounding the pavement. I tiptoe across the hall into the bathroom, careful as to not wake up my sister, Prim. She is almost as light of a sleeper as I am, and only the slightest noise would cause her to wake. I splash cold water onto my face, a futile attempt to wake me up. I look up into the mirror and take in my current state. My long, dark hair is matted down on one side, no doubt a result of the tossing and turning from the previous night's sleep. My olive skin, while clear and smooth, looks dull and lifeless. My eyes flicker up and meet their reflection. Dark circles have made themselves a permanent fixture on my face, the telltale sign of my stress and subsequent lack of sleep. My eyes themselves are a misty grey, hard and cold. Nothing about me stands out, which is ideal because I spend most of my time trying to be invisible. _You've seen better days, Katniss._

Five minutes later, my teeth are brushed and my hair is pushed out of my face and wrangled into the braid I wear almost every day. I'm running a bit behind my normal schedule, so I skip my usual cup of coffee, grab my favorite oversized sweatshirt and head out the door. It is a chilly October morning, and as soon as I walk outside I feel every hair on my body prick up, goosebumps washing over my bare legs. I desperately need to warm up, so my feet slowly but surely trudge along, my pace picking up every few steps until I am finally running. The cold air whips at my face as I run faster, my eyes watering and breaths quickening. A small smile pulls up the corner of my lips as I hit my stride. _Ah, that's it. That's better_. Running is one of the only things that can clear my head these days. When I was younger, I used to escape to the woods behind our house in northern Michigan. My father taught me how to use a bow and arrow when I was nine, and every Sunday he would take me deep into the forest so we could shoot squirrels and rabbits. It took me almost a full year, but the day I shot my first squirrel was one of the happiest I can remember. I wanted to run and show my next door neighbors, the Hawthorns, but my father made me keep the hunting trips a secret. _Our secret_. When I was with him, nothing else in the world mattered. I was at peace there.

The day I turned twelve, everything changed. It started out like any other birthday. Prim had woke me up by jumping on the bed, trampling on me and singing me birthday songs, as was the Everdeen family tradition. She was seven at the time, and she wore her light golden hair in two long braids. She shrieked with laughter as I grabbed her little arms, pulling her onto the bed and tickling her until tears streamed out of her baby blue eyes. I can still remember the smell of the cinnamon rolls my mother made once a year wafting through our house, summoning me out of bed. That year, my father had given me a new bow and a quiver full of arrows. Not exactly a typical gift for a preteen girl, but I was by no means a typical girl. I could barely contain my excitement as my father put on his hunting boots and his University of Michigan sweatshirt, a prized possession of his from his college days. We spent the whole day together, just the two of us, out in the woods. Around dusk, the storm came. Having lived in Michigan my whole life, I was used to harsh weather, but something about the storm that day was different. The rain fell in sheets and hail chunks the size of eggs beat down on our roof. My mother begged him not to go into work that night, but my father was incredibly stubborn, a trait he passed on to me. He worked as an engineer in a coal mine, a job he loved and was dedicated to. He promised that he would be home later that night, safe and sound. _He lied_.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

The official report the police gave my mother was that my father's car, an old Chevy truck, skidded out and went over an embankment. He was dead by the time the ambulances arrived.

It was almost as if my mother had died that day too. The loving marriage my parents had was the envy of nearly everyone we knew. They completed each other in ways that were inexplicable to anyone but the two of them; to the untrained eye they seemed like polar opposites. But they loved each other fiercely, giving every single bit of themselves to one another. When my father died, he took my mother with him. What was left was an unrecognizable, hollow woman with dead eyes and a dead heart. I spent the days, months, and years after his death assuring Prim that my mother loved her. That she loved both of us. I hated her every second of each and every one of those moments. To this day, nearly eight years later, our relationship remains broken.

I took on my first job when I turned thirteen. I woke up at 4:30 every morning and rode my bike into town to collect the newspapers that I would distribute to all the houses in the area. It was hard to drag myself out of bed each and every day, but I always did because of Prim. Prim was the one person I loved unconditionally. She was my angel, the innocent victim of a tragedy that left her family in pieces. She was the constant reminder that I needed to keep her safe, provide her with the things she needed to have some semblance of a normal life. So every morning, I picked myself up and made my rounds. I ran on little to no sleep, with nightmares of the accident haunting my dreams night after night.

After school in the afternoons, I would help Mrs. Hawthorn, Hazelle, at their family Laundromat. Her oldest son Gale worked there in the afternoons too, but he generously offered to give up half of his pay to me every week. He was two years older than I was, but quickly became my best friend. We would spend hours together every week, talking and sharing everything about each other. He called me Catnip, a name I hated almost as much as I hated cats themselves. His father had passed away when he was eight from cancer, so he immediately became like a protective older brother to me. He was one of the only people, aside from Prim, who could draw a smile from me. There was hardly anything to smile about in those days, and it always made me laugh to see the look of pride in Gale's eyes when he realized he was the one who could make me happy.

When I turned fourteen, I began high school. I was never very good at making friends, so most days I would sit by myself at lunch. After a few weeks, a girl in my Biology class started sitting with me. Madge Undersee and I didn't speak much, so she and I had a bit of an unconventional friendship. She didn't have many friends either, mainly due to the fact that her father was the Sherriff, and everyone was either scared of him or hated him for breaking up that week's party. I never minded, though. Sherriff Undersee always looked out for me after my father died, sometimes following me on my paper routes in the early morning hours to make sure I was safe. I never got into trouble either, so I saw no reason to avoid Madge. Every day after school, Gale would wait for me by the entrance to the school so that we could walk to work. I was still working for his mother, but he had since moved on and was working as a mechanic at Greasy Sae's Body Shop. Since he was two grades above me, we had conflicting schedules so I rarely saw him during the day. But every afternoon he would be there. After the first few weeks, I began to hear rumors that we were dating. I always brushed them off, because it had never been that way between Gale and I. Sure, I cared about him more than anyone aside from Prim, but there had never been anything romantic between us. These rumors did nothing to help me in making friends. Gale was what you could call, well, if I'm being perfectly honest, hot. At six-foot-four, he towered over most of his classmates. Like me, he had dark hair, beautiful olive skin, and grey eyes. He was a gifted football player, and in our Michigan town, football was like a religion. There was no shortage of girls swooning over him, literally begging for the chance to date the handsome Gale Hawthorn. Thus, when these rumors started, I had almost every girl in the school glaring daggers at me, whispering nasty things as I would pass them by. None of it really bothered me though; I was too busy keeping my head above water to care about petty drama. I thought things would die down once he graduated, getting a full ride to Michigan State to play football, but he came home to visit more than the typical college freshman. People would say it was to see me, but I knew how close Gale was to his family.

The rest of high school seemed to fly by without me even noticing. Between working multiple jobs and taking care of my mother and Prim, I had no time to make other friends and actually experience things like a normal teenager. When I turned eighteen, my mother went to Wisconsin to live with her sister, Maysilee. I had received a full scholarship to U of M, and would be moving to Ann Arbor in the fall and would no longer be able to take care of her. I had initially intended on Prim going with her, but after days of her screaming and crying, I knew I couldn't leave her behind. Maysilee arranged for us to move in with an old college friend of my father's who lived near campus whom my father had always trusted and spoke highly of. Since money was too tight for me to pay for our own apartment and we were left with no other alternative, Prim and I packed up our things and moved in with one Haymitch Abernathy.

_Oh Haymitch_. It was almost as though he believed he was still in college, spending most days and nights clutching a half-empty bottle of whatever alcohol he could scrounge up in his kitchen. I never really understood what Haymitch did to support himself; the most my aunt ever told me was that he used to be a highly sought-after business consultant, a mentor of sorts for up and coming companies. However, when he was in his early thirties his parents passed away, leaving him an incredibly large sum of money. He never worked again.

To say I had doubts about about his ability to look after Prim while I was at school was an understatement. Even though she was fifteen, I still felt the intense need to protect her, and leaving her with a drunk all day did not sit well with me. He was rarely sober and never cleaned up after himself, let alone anyone else. He was almost always in a foul mood, especially in the mornings when the hangovers would hit. He never interacted well with people, which apparently everyone knew because on the off chance he ventured out to the store for more liquor, he was avoided like the plague. But there were moments when I realized why he and my father were so close. Instead of letting Prim attend the local public high school, he enrolled her in the best private school in the area. He always waited up for me to come home at night, even when I would be up until dawn studying for exams in the campus library. He always made sure we had enough food, enough warm clothes, and clean rooms to sleep in. He vehemently opposed me getting a job, insisting that school came first and that I didn't need to worry about finances now that we lived with him. That definitely was not something I could get used to. I used to think he might resent us for being a burden to him, but I soon caught on to how his eyes lit up when Prim walked into the room, or the extra effort he made to listen to her stories about high school, friends, and boys. I always would admire this about Haymitch; while he and I clashed because of our stubborn, unrelenting personalities, he cared for Prim the way my father did, the way she deserved.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

Forty minutes later, I arrived back at Haymitch's house, drenched in sweat and out of breath. I had stripped off my sweatshirt early in the run, and my soaked t-shirt clung to my chest and back. I stood outside for a while, my chest rising and falling as my breathing returned to normal, but was startled by a loud crash and a yell coming from inside the house. I took a deep breath and opened the door, walking into the kitchen. My eyes widened as I took in the sight before me, and for the second time that morning the corners of my mouth turned up into a smile. Haymitch, dressed in his dingy sweatpants and stained undershirt, was sitting on the kitchen floor, surrounding by what looked like every pot he owned. His eyes narrowed as he saw me enter.

"Well don't just stand there, Sweetheart." _God, I hate when he calls me that_. "Wipe that smile off your face and help me up!"

A scowl forms on my face and I fold my arms across my chest.

"Looking for something? Last time I checked the alcohol was in the other room." My words are cold, but I am not naïve anymore. If he is up this early he is only looking for one thing.

"Watch it," he growls as he points a finger at me. "Where the hell is the coffee pot?"

I walk over to the sink where the clean dishes are drying from the night before and hold up said coffee pot. Then I slam it down on the table, knowing what the noise does to his splitting hangover. I see him wince slightly, and then haul himself off the floor.

"If you ever cleaned up after yourself, Haymitch, then maybe you would know where it was without having to tear the whole damn kitchen apart."

He said nothing in response, only continued to glare at me, seething in anger. I could tell he didn't have the energy to continue this argument, so I just sighed and went upstairs and turned on the shower.

I stood under the scalding water for as long as I could bear it, letting it melt away the tightness in my shoulders, back, and legs. I scrubbed the sweat off my body until my skin was pink and raw, washed my hair, and finally stepped out. The bathroom was filled with steam, and I could barely see my own hand in front of my face. I opened the door and was hit with a rush of freezing air. I hear Prim's door creak open, and I am met with a pair of sleepy blue eyes.

"There better still be hot water for me in there." She tries to sound threatening, but it is just not in her nature. I walk over to her and before she can protest, I shake out my long hair, water spraying her face and shirt. She squeals and laughs, the one thing about her that keeps her young in my mind. At sixteen, she is no longer the little girl I once knew to chase the ducklings around in our backyard, but her laugh has stayed the same. She races into the bathroom and slams the door, eager to escape my attack.

I pull on a pair of dark jeans, worn so they fit me like a second skin, and a thick, waffle-knit cream long sleeve. I gather my wet hair into a braid again, and wrap a chunky, navy blue knit scarf around my neck. It was a gift from Maysilee last Christmas, complete with matching gloves and hat. A pair of beat up Converse are strewn about, one in the closet and another under my bed. Lastly, I pull out my father's Michigan sweatshirt. I hold it in my hands for a while, feeling the soft fleece under my fingertips. I hold it up to my nose and smell, longing for the time when it smelled like pine needles and my father's aftershave. It has been so long since I smelled his smell, I can barely remember it. _Daddy…_

"Katniss?" A small voice breaks me out of my trance. I turn to find it and see Prim, a concerned look on her face. "Katniss, why are you crying?" _When did I start crying?_ "What's-" She stops talking when she sees what I am holding. "Oh Katniss, it's alright. It's okay. He would be so proud of you." I look up at her, amazed. Even though she is five years younger than me, she speaks to me like an older sibling. One minute she is a giggling teenager and the next she comforts me with her old soul. I will never in a thousand lifetimes stop loving my sister. I am suddenly embarrassed, and quickly turn away from her. I wipe the tears from my cheeks and stuff the sweatshirt back into my closet. I fumble around my room, grabbing my books and shoving them into my bag. I kiss her on the forehead, mumble something about seeing her that afternoon, and run out the door.

It has barely warmed up since my morning run, and I immediately regret not bringing my gloves. I cross my arms over my chest to cover my hands and begin the walk towards campus. The leaves have turned from lush green to a beautiful array of red, yellow, and orange. I take in the sight and smell of the trees, and a pang hits my heart as I am reminded of the woods back home. _Today is not going to be a good day_. The street gets more and more crowded with students as I near school. I am soon engulfed in a sea of coeds dressed in maize and blue, Michigan school colors. I weave my way through them and duck down a side street to my favorite spot, a small bakery and café that I have gone to almost every day since the beginning of my freshman year. The bell jingles as I enter, and I see the baker behind the counter, who recognizes me and smiles his kind smile, waving at me before returning to work. I look around and my eyes find my familiar table, a pretty blonde girl already sitting there. _I'm late. _I walk over and sink down into one of the chairs across from her, letting out a loud sigh.

"Rough morning?" Madge asks without looking up from her book. _You can say that again_.

"Haymitch." My one word response is all she needs, because she looks up at me and chuckles.

"That man is going to be the death of you, Kat. Seriously, have you considered campus housing? It's really a lot better than you think…" She looks at me expectantly.

"I know, it's just…I can't leave Prim. She needs me. I- I can't leave her." She gives me a sad smile, and simply nods.

"Where's Annie?" I need to change the subject, and fast. I can feel the tears threatening to make their second appearance of the day.

Annie is Madge's roommate. Since I was unable to live with her our freshman year, Madge was randomly assigned someone. We always joke about how lucky she got with Annie, a quiet, quirky girl with long brown hair and sparkling green eyes. Some people think that there is something off about her, but isn't there something off about all of us? She and Madge got along tremendously, and are living together for the second year in a row. The three of us do nearly everything together. Well, nearly everything. Annie's high school boyfriend, Finnick Odair, is a junior at Michigan and the star of the swim team. Scouts were calling him the next Michael Phelps before he even graduated high school. I think, if she could, that Annie would spend every waking moment with him. Unfortunately he travels a lot for meets, so she instead hangs out with us.

"She and Finn are at our place." She makes a face and I smile. She shakes her head. "I swear, the two of them are just _nauseating_, Kat. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! The last thing I need is another reminder of how I don't have a boyfriend anymore. How pathetic can I get?" I've stopped smiling at this.

Her eyes widen and she blushes. "I'm sorry Kat, I didn't mean…just because you're single too doesn't mean…oh God I need to stop talking."

"Its okay, Madge. Really. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me when you need to vent about guys. Just because I don't plan on dating doesn't mean I can't listen to you." Between my father's death, my mother's mental deterioration, looking after my sister, working, and getting good enough grades for a scholarship, boys never really made it into the equation. The rumors about my "relationship" with Gale didn't help much either; boys wouldn't touch me with a ten-foot pole out of pure fear of my "boyfriend", even after he had graduated. I always saw relationships as a weakness, proven by my mother's descent into madness after losing the love of her life. I made a promise to myself years ago that I would never let myself get that close to anyone.

"Still though. I should be more sensitive." Her voice is quiet, and I can tell how genuine she is from that alone.

"Seriously Madge, I'm fine. I have too much going on to even think about having a boyfriend, anyways. Let's just drop it for now, ok?" I try my best to put on a sincere smile, but I know it doesn't reach my eyes.

"Whatever you say, boss." There is a small giggle in her words as she salutes me. I smile again, this time for real.

We settle into our routines in silence, Madge reading a Philosophy textbook and me trying to finish up my Plant Biology assignment. _Even if I did want to date, what guy would find me interesting? I spend my free time learning about plants. And I actually enjoy it_. I hear the door to the café jingle again, but I only look up when I hear the table of girls next to us stop mid conversation, wide eyed and jaws dropped. A massive body plops into the open seat at our table, and I hear him crunching away on the sugar cubes from the bowl on the counter.

"I thought I might find you ladies here." His voice pours out, seductively.

Madge just shakes her head and laughs. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the fish out of water himself. What's up, Finnick?"

The table of girls is now gaping at us, eyes trained on the arm that has draped around the back of my chair. I would normally be surprised, but this is the effect Finnick Odair tends to have on people. I can't really blame them. He stands a whopping six-foot-three, with bronze skin and hair, no doubt a result of his time spent swimming outdoors. He is lean and muscular, with a blinding smile and sea green eyes. All I have to say is that Annie is a very lucky girl.

"Annie had to head to class, so I thought I'd come see what my other best girls are up to. But now that I'm here…" His voice trails off as he picks up a corner of my book, and he makes a face. "Seriously Katniss? There are hundreds of guys out there waiting to meet you and you choose _this_?"

I scowl, and he turns back to Madge. "And you! You two need to get out more. I mean come on! I practically beg you to come to every party with me and you always shut me down. What is the deal?" He has a mischievous grin on his face that I'm not sure if I like.

"We don't know anyone there, Finn, and you _always_ wander off with Annie. You leave us by ourselves to fend off the sharks!" Madge is dramatically with her arms as she speaks, causing Finnick to scoff.

He clutches his heart dramatically in response. "Do you have no faith in me at all? I will be there every step of the way until someone comes and sweeps you both off your pretty little feet."

He winks at us and I give him a playful shove.

"Come off it, Finn. You know Madge is right."

"Not about tonight! Annie has a review session for her midterm tomorrow and yours truly has to fly solo. Please come? A bunch of guys on the football team are having a party and I know they would looooove to meet you two. Please?" He looks at us both, for the first time a genuine look on his face.

Madge nudges my leg under the table and raises one eyebrow at me. _Oh no. I know what that looks means._ And before I can answer her, she is agreeing for both of us to go.

Finnick's eyes light up, and he flashes us a wide smile. "Excellent! I'll pick you up at your place, Madge? Nine o'clock?"

"Fine, Finn. Now get out of here before you give one of those girls a heart attack." I nod over to the table next to us, and I could swear one of the girls is actually drooling. He flashes them the same wide smile before getting up to go, not failing to muss up my hair on his way out. Whispers of _Finnick Odair_ trail after him, and for the first time I realize that the whole café had their eyes trained on our entire interaction. _So much for trying to be invisible._


	4. Chapter 4

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

Several hours and one frantic phone call with Annie later, I am sitting in the bathroom of her and Madge's apartment, surrounding by every beauty product I could even think of, plus some. _What even is all of this stuff? That goes where? _My mind is spinning and I look to Madge next to me, who is applying a dark liner to her eyes that makes them pop. She catches my eye in the mirror and laughs.

"God, Kat. You look like you've seen a ghost! It's just a little makeup."

A thing to know about me: I don't wear makeup. I never really saw the point in it all, seeing as how there was never anyone I really needed to impress. Gale always said I didn't need it, whatever that means. _I miss Gale_. The thought hurts my heart, and I realize just how much I miss my best friend. It's football season, so I haven't seen him in months. The Michigan-Michigan State game is in two weeks, however, and he promised that he would have time to see me then. _Just two more weeks, Kat_.

"I have no idea what to do with any of this…" Madge stares at me incredulously.

"ANNIE!" _And now I'm deaf._ _I didn't know her voice went that shrill._

Ten seconds later Annie's head pokes into the bathroom.

"What is it _now_? I'm going to be late for my review!" She tries to look irritated, but we all know she would rather be anywhere but studying.

"Kat is helpless with this, and I still have yet to pick out an outfit! I need you Annie!" Madge pleads with her.

"I guess I could be late if it means Kat is going to talk to guys tonight…" I narrow my eyes at her.

"Now now, that's no way to get people to like you. Loosen up! Annie's a genius with this stuff." All I can do is let out an exasperated sigh, which they recognize as my surrender. Annie spins me around by my shoulders and sets off, dabbing this on my cheek and swiping that on my lips. _And now I know why I don't wear makeup_.

After finishing with my face, Annie continues on to my hair. It has been in a braid all day, and I think it looks fine that way. She ignores my protests and slides the hair tie off the end of the braid, running her fingers through my hair, separating the waves. She lets out a small gasp and grabs Madge's arm. They both stare at me with these stupid grins on their faces.

"What is wrong with you two?" My tone is accusatory.

Madge laughs. "You should wear your hair down more often." I turn to the mirror to see what she means and am taken aback.

Staring back at me is someone almost completely unrecognizable. My hair is shiny and full, and the waves cascade over my shoulders and down my back. Whatever Annie put on my skin made it seem to glow from within. My eyes are rimmed with a soft brown, and my long eyelashes curled and darkened by mascara. My lips are full and soft, painted with a pink only a shade darker than my natural color._ Well that's different_. I can feel a blush crawl onto my cheeks, which does not go unnoticed by my two friends.

Annie puts a hand on my shoulder. "Not that you weren't before, Kat, but you're _gorgeous_!" _I don't think I've ever been called gorgeous in my entire life. This is weird_. "Now I seriously need to get going! I am so late!" She runs out of the bathroom, grabs her bag, and is out the door before I can say another word.

Madge gets up and drags me into her room, which is covered in clothes that have been thrown about in her quest for the perfect outfit. She settles on a long-sleeved sweater dress in a pale blue to match her eyes. I look down and realize that I am still in the same clothes I have worn all day, with the addition of a few stains on my shirt courtesy of my clumsy lab partner. Madge gives me the once-over, shakes her head and ventures back into her closet.

Twenty minutes later, I am dressed in Madge's impossibly tight skinny jeans and a gray silk blouse that has a low v-neck and ties at the waist, emphasizing my small frame. She and I argued about it for a good ten minutes before I gave up. I don't usually show this much skin, but she insists that it complements my eyes. The doorbell rings, signaling Finnick's arrival, and I stand and walk to the door to let him in. His jaw drops when I open the door, and I immediately feel my cheeks heat up.

"That bad, huh?" I manage to mumble out. _Annie, I am going to kill you_.

He continues to stare at me, wordless. I hear Madge come up behind me, and she sticks her arm out and waves it up and down in front of Finnick's face. His eyes snap back to attention and he lets out a deep laugh.

"Never knew you had it in you, Everdeen. You clean up mighty nice." He winks at me and I return it with a playful shove.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?"

My heart sinks as we walk up to the house where the party is being thrown. There are dozens of people on the front lawn alone, and I can only pray that the inside doesn't pack the same crowd. Naturally, everyone knows Finnick, so we are constantly delayed as people reach out to high-five him, hug him, anything that proves they have an affiliation with him. _Gag me_.

I look around, surveying the people around us. The majority of them are guys, and I can tell by their stature and general poise that they are all athletes. At five-foot-four, I feel as if any minute I could be knocked out by someone's arm. Madge squeezes my arm and I look at her, realizing that Finnick is moving inside. We find the group that he seems to be the best friends with. There are a few swimmers, one of the star basketball players and a handful of football players. They are the loudest group in the room, and it is apparent that the majority of the girls here would kill to be walking up to them right now. _What I would give to trade places with any one of them_. I feel Finnick's arms drape over my shoulder, and I notice he has Madge in the same position on the other side. The group grows quiet as we approach, and I catch some of them staring at me. _Okay, now I am REALLY going to kill Annie_. Finnick makes the round of introductions, but it is so loud I can barely hear them say their names. Madge, being a normal, functioning human being, immediately introduces herself with a smile, and I see some of the guys' eyes light up as they stare at her. Their attention turns to me, and I realize that I have stood there silently the whole time. Finnick reaches up and musses up my hair again.

"This is Katniss. You'll have to forgive her, she scares easy and doesn't get out much."

My jaw drops and my eyes narrow, glaring at Finnick, but a noise catches my ear and I look away, trying to find its source. One of the football players is laughing, but it isn't just any laugh. _He sounds exactly like my father_. My father had the kind of laugh that would wash over you, enveloping you in its warmth. I hadn't heard anyone laugh like that in years. My eyes make contact with his, which are a piercing, bright blue. His blonde hair falls over his forehead, and he stands only about an inch or two shorter than Finnick. His shoulders are broad, and his Michigan football t-shirt is stretched across his chest. My eyes trail down his muscular arms, down to his-

"AHEM!"

My eyes snap up and I realize that the group is staring at me, and Finnick has that mischievous grin on his face. _I want to hit you right now, Finn_.

"I guess she likes what she sees. Kat, meet one of my roommates, Peeta." He nods back to the tall blonde, and I see a blush swirl onto his cheeks.

"Hi Peter."

"It's Peeta, actually." _I am an idiot_. I open my mouth to apologize but am interrupted by a shove from behind. I fly forward, only to come into contact with the very chest I have been admiring a minute ago. _Admiring? Get ahold of yourself, Katniss. Stop acting like a silly schoolgirl._ My hands grip onto his arms for balance, and he helps me get my footing back.

"Whoa there. It's nice to meet you too." I look up and see a blinding smile crack across his face.

"I-uh-I'm sorry."

"She speaks!" I whip my head around and see Finnick laughing. _I swear to God…_I turn back to see who bumped into me and I find a stumbling blonde girl.

"Peeta! I have been looking aaaalll over for _you_! Her words are slurring and she points her finger into Peeta's chest. I don't notice until this moment that his hands are still on the sides of my arms. He notices too, and immediately drops them and looks down.

"Hey, Delly. Having fun?" I look over at him, trying to get his read on the situation.

"More fun now that I found _you_!" She tries her best to sound seductive, but it comes out jarbled and I can't help but suppress a laugh. His eyes flicker over to mine, and I stop immediately. _Is this his girlfriend? Stop laughing. Stop laughing, Katniss_. I can feel my face flush.

"I have to go..." I mumble and spin around to leave.

I am almost to the door when a man's arm cuts me off, stopping me in my tracks. "Oh no you don't. What do you think you're doing, Kat?" I look up and see Finnick, green eyes blazing.

"Well let's see. I walked up to that group of people, stared at them like I was mute, practically threw myself at some guy, then laughed at his girlfriend in front of him. I think it's safe to say I'm going home, Finn."

"What girlfriend?"

"That blonde girl who is all over him! I'm not an idiot, her lovey dovey expression was all I needed to see."

"Are you blind? Kat, listen to me. Peeta and Delly aren't dating. Peeta isn't interested."

"I don't care! I don't know him! I shouldn't care if he has a girlfriend! I don't even know him!" I know our conversation is beginning to attract some attention, but in this moment I don't care in the slightest.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think Katniss has a crush." A smile turns up on the corner of his mouth. _That's it, Odair…_

"Don't start with me Finn. I don't-" I am interrupted by someone tapping on my shoulder. I whip my head around, fuming from this conversation with Finnick.

"_What?"_ My jaw drops as I am met with his blue eyes. He looks embarrassed, and I immediately feel guilty. We stand there, silently staring at each other, both of us refusing to speak.

"I'll leave you to alone…" I almost forgot Finnick was standing behind me, and I see him slink away, still grinning. _I hate you, Finnick Odair_.

"Do you want to go somewhere a little quieter?" He is still staring at me. _Does this kid ever blink?_ _Answer the question, Katniss. Say something!_

I look around, trying to find some kind of escape from this embarrassment, but with no avail. I see Madge and the basketball player hitting it off by a keg, and I know she would kill me if I made her leave. My eyes turn back up to him, and all I can do is nod.

He grabs my hand and leads us out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

He is still holding my hand when we get outside, and he motions us over to a porch swing. I sit as far to one side as I can, and take my hand back and fold it underneath my arms. Everyone who was outside before has gone inside, probably for the beer, so it is just the two of us. I can feel my heart racing. I have never really been alone with a boy before, aside from Gale. _What would Gale think if he saw me right now?_ The thought pops into my head and I don't know what to make of it.

"You don't talk much, do you?" He is still staring at me, scrutinizing me even, but speaks in a gentle tone.

"I'm sorry, Finnick was right. I don't really get out much…to these things, I mean. I get out…" _What? Why did I say that? Damn you, Finnick_.

"It's okay, I don't really come to these things much either."

Now I am the one staring. "But isn't this kind of, well, your party?"

He laughs the laugh again, and I am reminded why I noticed him in the first place. "I guess so, but still. It's not really my scene. All my friends are here, but it just gets a little too crowded for my taste."

"I'm sorry about earlier." The words spill out before I really know what I am saying. "You know, for practically jumping you and then laughing at your girlfriend." Regardless of what Finnick said, they looked like a lot more than friends to me.

He raises an eyebrow at this. "My girl- Oh! Who, Delly? No, there is no way that she is my girlfriend."

"I didn't mean to assume, it's just…you two looked…" I look down and see that I am nervously fumbling with my hands.

He reaches over and places his hand over mine. The spot where our skin touches is immediately on fire, and I am thankful it is dark outside so he can't see that I am fiercely blushing. _I guess this is the first time I hold hands with a guy_.

"Hey." His words force me to look up at him. "You don't have to be so nervous. I don't bite." I can see him trying to suppress a smile, but it doesn't work. His dimples give it away. He continues to speak. "I met her last year, and she can't seem to leave me alone. I mean, she's nice, but not really my type, I suppose…" He trails off.

"And what might that be?" His eyes widen. _Shut up, Katniss. What in God's name made you ask him that?_

"I'm sure you'll figure that one out eventually." _What does that even mean? _I stare at him again, and notice that he has moved ever so slightly closer to me on the swing. I can't help but feel drawn to Peeta, which confuses me even more because I met him only twenty minutes ago. I feel more and more uncomfortable by the second. _I have to get out of here_.

"It's getting late. I should probably be going."

His expression drops for a split second, but he is smiling again almost before I can blink. "Let me walk you home?"

"Oh, that's alright. It's not too far and-"

"Please? I'd feel better knowing you got home safely. Plus, if anything happens to you, Finnick's going to kill me." If it is at all possible, his smile widens.

"You really don't have to do that. I live only a few blocks from here, and I walk home alone all the time." _Please just let me go. _

"I _want_ to. And if you don't let me walk you home, I'll just follow you back anyways. So it's your call." He gives me a pointed look, and I know that I am not going to win this one. I sit there for a moment, stunned. For the life of me, I cannot seem to figure out why this boy is even sitting here with me.

"Why do you care so much?" I know it was probably rude to say, but I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that a perfect stranger is so concerned about my safety.

He looks at me and sighs. "Are you always this difficult?"

I can feel a smile twitching at the corners of my mouth. "I'm afraid so…Feel free to back out at any time."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He is smiling again, and for a few minutes it seems to be the only thing I see. The dimple on his left cheek forms, and I have to suppress the urge to reach out and touch it. He stands up and extends his hand to me. "Where to, Ms. Everdeen?" _How does he know my last name?_

I tentatively place my hand in his, noting how it completely engulfs mine. A wave of heat shoots up my arm as our skin touches, and he gives my hand a gentle squeeze and pulls me up off the swing. When I get my footing, I finally notice just how close we are. I can feel his breath on my forehead, and I can feel my own breathing quicken. _Cinnamon. He smells like cinnamon._

"_There_ you are!" A loud voice breaks the silence and I snatch my hand back from Peets'a grasp. I look over and see Madge, stumbling out of the house. She is followed closely by the basketball player I saw her with earlier. "Cato is going to walk us home. Isn't that just wonderful?" A huge smile is plastered on her face, and I can immediately tell she is drunk.

The guy she calls Cato look over at Peeta. "Delly has been looking all over for you, Peet. You better go deal with that..." He winks at Peeta, and I am suddenly overwhelmed with an anger that I can't quite explain.

"Let's go, Madge. Now." My voice is harsh and cutting, and I can see the confusion in Peeta's eyes. I see his mouth open, but before he can object I stomp over and grab her arm. Her free hand is entwined with Cato's, so I end up dragging the two of them down the steps and onto the street. _Don't look back at him, Katniss. Don't you dare look back at him_. I have to fight every urge in my body not to do so, but thankfully my willpower wins.

I drop Madge and Cato back off at her apartment, both of them drunk and swooning over each other. Madge hugs me and makes me promise to call her first thing in the morning. I stay long enough to make sure she gets into the building before continuing home. My pace is slow, as my body is tired from the long day, but my mind is racing. All I can think about is Peeta. His eyes trained on mine. His strong shoulders. The heat that radiated through me when our skin touched. The way his laugh warmed me to the core. The drunk girl, Delly, draping herself all over him. The anger I felt towards him for being with her. Confusion about why I felt angry. I kept my head down the entire walk back, trying to block out the world around me as I sorted through my thoughts. I hate these feelings. _This is why I don't date._

The door was open when I got back to Haymitch's, alerting me that he was up waiting inside. I quietly closed the door behind me and ventured into the living room. Sure enough, Haymitch was there, bottle in hand, staring off into space. His eyes snapped back to reality when I sank down onto the couch across from him. He looked at me as if I were a puzzle he was trying to assemble. There was no coldness in his gaze, however, and I was not expecting the soft tone carried in his voice.

"Sweetheart?" While I normally hate that term of what he claims endearment he uses for me, I couldn't help but be thankful for him in that moment. He continued.

"Why do you have that look on your face?" The look of concern on his face was staring to worry me. _Why is he acting like this?_

"Long day," is all I manage to whisper, and with those two words the weight of everything collapses down on me. I sink onto the couch.

"Prim told me what happened. Earlier. About your dad." I was not expecting him to say this. "She was right, you know." I look at him incredulously.

"Right about what?"

"About him being proud of you." I can feel the tears forming, but after the day I've had, I make no effort to stop them. I can see that Haymitch is getting uncomfortable, and I don't really blame him. He has never seen me like this before, and I can tell he is scared. I drop my head into my hands, unwilling to show him the weakness I associate with my tears. We sit there for what feels like hours, unmoving. I can hear the floorboards creak as he stands up, and his loud footsteps exit the room.


	6. Chapter 6

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

"Katniss. Katniss, wake up." Her voice is gentle, lulling me out of my dreamless sleep. I squint my eyes open, and it takes a second for them to focus on Prim.

"You had a pretty late night, huh? I haven't seen you sleep in like this in years." My eyes search for the clock. _Nine AM. I'm late._

I jump up off the couch, not realizing until that moment that I fell asleep there after Haymitch left. I strip off Madge's clothes from the night before, wincing as the memory of last night floods my head. I turn the shower on as hot as it can go, and scrub my skin until it is raw. I quickly dress, braid my hair, and run out the door.

I am shocked to see that I have beaten Madge to the bakery. I glance at my phone for the first time and see a slew of missed calls and messages from her, Annie, and to my chagrin, Finnick. I order a large cup of coffee and turn around in time to see Madge and Annie waltz in, arm in arm, giddy like a couple of schoolgirls. They plop next to me, and look at me expectantly.

"I know you're dying to share, so by all means…" I gesture at Madge, who immediately dives into her story from the night before. She is talking so quickly I can barely make out her words, but I soon figure out that she is absolutely smitten with Cato, the basketball player from the party. Annie bombards her with probing questions, and I merely sit back and observe my two friends. I slept very little last night, and am thus having a hard time focusing. My gaze drifts out the window next to me, and land on a familiar looking blonde boy crossing the street towards us. _Oh no. Anyone but him. Please don't let him see me._ I am still reeling from the night before, confused and embarrassed about my behavior.

I try my best to subtly cover my face and slump further down into my chair, but I am not subtle enough. Madge stops mid-sentence when she sees me, and she too looks outside and spots him. Her eyes light up.

"Oh my god, Kat! Isn't that the guy you were with last night?" The look on her face makes me want to reach over and slap her.

"Wait, I know him! Peeta, right? He's friends with Finn. On the football team?" Annie's eyes match Madge's. _I have got to get out of here._

"Looks like you're going to get to finish whatever conversation I interrupted last night, Kat. He's coming this way." The words are barely out of Madge's mouth when I jump up and grab my bag, nearly knocking over our table. I reach down to grab my coffee when I hear the jingle of the bells on the door. _Oh no. Oh god, no._

Madge and Annie can barely contain their laughter, and I slowly turn around and am met with his blazing blue eyes. He has that same blinding smile plastered on his face. _That makes two people I want to slap this morning_. My expression must betray just how irritated I am in this very moment, because his expression drops.

"Katniss? What's-"

"Sorry, I was just leaving. Gotta go!" I sidestep around him and swing open the door, the cold air stinging my face. I make it a few steps, almost thinking that I am safe, when I hear it.

"Katniss! Wait!" I freeze, and he is upon me in seconds. He steps in front of my, cutting off any real chance I had to escape. I can feel myself scowl.

"I'm going to be late. I have a test." _No, I don't. But you don't know that._ I try and get the words out as calmly as possible, which is incredibly difficult because, for some reason, my heart seems to be beating out of my chest. _I hope he can't hear that. _

"No, you don't. You're avoiding me." A smirk crosses his face. I am too stunned to figure out how he could possibly know that I was lying. I can feel my cheeks flush, which makes me angry.

"Yes, I do. I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"You sit in the bakery until 11:30 every day with your friends, then you walk to class. Seeing as how it is only around 9:15, I'd say you have almost two hours until you normally leave for class. And you had a test last week, so I doubt you have another one this soon. Clearly its something else." His words are matter-of-fact, and I can only stare. _How the hell does he know my schedule? This is starting to get a little weird_.

He continues. "You're probably wondering how I know all this…" He trails off, looking at me. _Why don't you blink already! _All I can bring myself to do is nod.

He lets out a small chuckle. "You really haven't noticed me, in the two years you've been coming to the bakery? I work here, Katniss. My dad owns it and I work in the back. Every single morning."

I let his words sink in, and I look back at the building. I can see Annie and Madge gaping at us, basically pressing their faces up against the glass in futile attempts to hear our conversation. I look back at Peeta, and am surprised to see a flicker of sadness in his eyes. But it is gone again in an instant.

"You really didn't notice?" His repeated words come out quieter.

I am suddenly overwhelmed with the need to comfort the person standing in front of me, and become aware that I haven't said a word in the past five minutes.

"I'm sorry!" I blurt out more forcefully than intended. _Sorry for what? You sound like an idiot_. "It's just…I'm normally distracted…it's usually your dad…you play football…" I curse myself internally for my lack of skill with words. _Maybe try forming a complete sentence, you idiot_.

He smiles. "It's not a big deal. I work early before practice and it's not like I made a real effort to have my presence be known. Don't worry about it.

A large gust of freezing wind bursts around the corner, and my body reacts with a violent shudder. Peeta instinctively reaches both arms out, rubbing the sides of mine. The heat created by the friction of his movements is nothing compared to how my body reacted to the mere touch of his skin on my bare arms.

"Forget a coat?" I look down, then back to the bakery, where I can see my sweatshirt still draped over my vacated chair.

"Come on, let's get you back inside." And with his arm still draped around my shoulder, he ushers me back into the bakery.

I stumble back into my seat, dazed as to what exactly just happened. Peeta had disappeared from sight, most likely into the back. Madge and Annie's eyes are as wide as saucers, pleading with me for some kind of explanation.

"I don't know, okay?" They both recognize my exasperated tone, and simply nod, whispering to each other things that I can't hear. My mind is racing, trying to figure out exactly what happened outside with Peeta. More importantly, how was it that I never noticed him before? It was obvious that he had kept tabs on me, but for reasons unbeknownst to me. He probably had a crush on Madge, as most guys we knew did.

"We're gonna take off now, Kat…" Madge is looking behind me. I turn and see that Peeta is standing behind me, a plate of something absolutely mouth-watering in his hands.

"Call us later?" I force a smile at her and nod. _You're going to pay for this, Undersee._

"Your friends seem nice." Peeta sits down in the vacated seat across from me, a smirk on his face.

"The absolute nicest." He laughs.

"You really are a terrible liar, you know that?" My face returns to its usual scowl. "And you do that too much. You should smile more."

I feel my cheeks heat up and have a sudden urge to change the topic. "What are those?" I point to the plate of tantalizing bread he had placed on the table.

"Cheese buns. They are my favorite. Try one." He hands one over to me and I extend my own hand to take it. Our fingers brush and I get a fluttery feeling in my stomach. I push the thought to the back of my head before I take a bite. _Oh my god this is heavenly._ I let out a small sigh, and his entire face lights up.

"So? Do they get the Katniss Everdeen stamp of approval?" I feel my lips curl up into a smile and nod.

He looks at me curiously for a few seconds, then asks the question I had been trying to avoid. "Why were you avoiding me?" He looks at me pointedly, and I know I am trapped.

"I, uh, I wasn't avoiding you." He raises an eyebrow, as if silently calling my bluff. _This guy is too good_. His piercing blue eyes are trained on mine, the heat of his gaze bordering on unbearable.

"Okay, so maybe I was." _Shut up, Katniss._ The words tumble out before I can stop them. "I sort of embarrassed myself last night and really didn't want to relive that." His eyes haven't left mine. He opens his mouth as if to ask another question, but closes it again, and instead simply nods. He seems to understand how uncomfortable I am, and doesn't press me further.

"Why are you here?" Now, it seems, I have asked the question he has been hoping to avoid.

"What?" _You know what I mean_.

"Here. With me. Why are you sitting here?" His brow furrows for a minute, then lets out his warm laugh.

"I want to be your friend, Katniss."

I stare at him blankly. _He wants to be my friend? Doesn't he have, like, dozens of friends? Why would he want to be friends with me?_

"So? What do you say?" He looks at me expectantly. "Can I be your friend?"

If this were any other situation, I would have refused immediately and stormed out. But there is something undeniable about Peeta, something that I can't quite understand, that makes me want to stay. To say yes. I remember the words he spoke to me last night when I answer.

"I'm sure you'll figure that one out eventually."


	7. Chapter 7

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

For the next couple of weeks, I would find a warm cheese bun and a cup of coffee waiting for me at the bakery. Peeta's father would smile, and kindly refuse payment, which I could never fully understand. Madge and Annie were beside themselves over this new development in my life. Well, in our lives. The three of us were pretty much inseparable, which meant that they spent just as much time with Peeta as I did. And of course, they loved him. Peeta seemed to charm everyone he came in contact with. His natural ease with words was something I envied. He had a warm laugh and was one of the kindest people I have ever met. He even tolerated Finnick's antics. I could not understand how the two of them were best friends. While I loved Finnick, it was mainly because he loved Annie. He knew how to push my buttons, and did so often. But Peeta had a patience with him that irritated me to no end.

Since he had football practice at noon every day, he would walk with me to my class, which was close to the stadium. At first I was opposed to the idea, not knowing what exactly to say to him when the two of us were alone. But I was surprised to find him incredibly easy to be around. The first few walks were spent in silence, but it was never uncomfortable. After about a week, he finally began talking.

"What's your favorite color?" The question was so simple that it made me stop in my tracks.

"My favorite color?" A smile curled up the corners of his mouth.

"Mine is orange. Like a sunset. I think it's the most interesting color…" He trails off and I can't help but laugh.

He looks back at me, confused. "What? Why are you laughing?"

I try and stifle my laughter. "It's just…my favorite color? Who asks that anymore?"

"I do. I want to know everything about you." His eyes are focused on mine, and his bluntness takes me back. _Trust me, you don't want to know everything_.

"Green. Like the woods back home." Before I know it, I am hit with a wave of emotions. _Home. The woods. Our woods, me and my dad's. Dad. _I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes, and I blink rapidly, hoping he doesn't notice. He does, however, and reaches over and takes my hand. I would normally wrench my hand away, but in this moment I can't bring myself to do so. He gives is a light squeeze.

"It's a good color."

We continue on like this every day from then on, him peppering me with questions. I normally would be annoyed by this incessant interrogation, but he has such a genuine interest that I can't help but oblige him. He really does want to know everything about me, and I feel myself learning more and more about him in return. He has a weird superstition about double-knotting his shoelaces before football games. He likes to sleep with the window open, even in the dead of winter. He hates sugar in his tea. I tell him about Prim and Haymitch. I tell him about hunting with a bow and arrow. He nearly tripped over his own feet when I told him this, which in turn made me laugh so hard that tears came to my eyes. Real, happy tears. For the first time in a long, long time, was beginning to feel like a whole person again.

One Friday morning, Prim wakes up with the flu. I call Madge to tell her I won't be meeting up at the bakery, and head out to the pharmacy to get Prim her medicine. As I walk back up to Haymitch's house, I can hear laughter coming from within. _I know that laugh_. I fling the door open, and my suspicions are confirmed by what I see. Prim is right where I left her- nestled into the couch, wrapped up in a thick blanket. And sitting across from her in a large armchair is the source of the laughter. His blue eyes flicker over to me, and a huge smile breaks out over his face.

"What are you doing here?" It comes out more accusatory than I would have liked, and he winces slightly. Prim looks back and forth between us, a small smile on her lips, eyebrows raised.

"Madge told me why you weren't at the bakery, and I couldn't let fresh cheese buns go to waste…"

"I can't believe you've been holding out on me, Katniss!" Prim's voice is hoarse, but still hers. "These are incredible!" She shoots me a knowing look, as if to say "That's not the only thing you've been holding out on."

I haven't told Prim much about Peeta, mainly because I know how she would react. Some of the only arguments Prim and I ever have are about how I live my life. She thinks I am wasting it, shutting out any chance of a relationship with anyone, and blames herself. She was too young when Dad died to understand just how awful it was for our mother. The only mother she really knows is the broken, helpless woman sent away to Wisconsin. It breaks my heart, but I know I can never leave her like that. She is just too young to understand.

Peeta and Prim have launched back into their conversation, and I can only watch in awe. The two of them are so similar, I can't believe I didn't realize it before. Not only do they look like they could be related, with their light hair and blue eyes, but have the same genuine, gentle, comforting way to put people at ease. They easily converse back and forth, and I am amazed that Peeta is listening to Prim's stories with earnest. I can barely keep up with her, and here he is, actively participating in the conversation. I snap back to reality when I hear the doorbell ring. _Now who is this?_

I open the door and am met with an identical pair of grey eyes, his several inches above mine. The medicine bag lands with a thud on the wood floor as I am swept off the ground into his arms.

"Gale?" It comes out in a whisper as he has effectively knocked the wind out of me. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he buries his face in my hair.

"I missed you, Catnip." We stand there for a few moments, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders by the arrival of my best friend.

I hear a small cough and realize that there are two other people in the room. We quickly separate, and I feel a heat crawl onto my cheeks as I see two sets of blue eyes trained on us. Gale walks over to Prim and gives her a kiss on the top of her head, and she grabs onto his hand. I smile at this interaction, knowing how comforted Prim must feel by Gale's presence. I look over at Peeta, who has not stopped staring at me.

"And you are?" Gale's voice is lower than I am used to hearing it, and I see his eyes narrowed, glaring at Peeta.

"He's Katniss' friend." I glare at Prim as the words escape her lips. She shrugs and looks back at the two massive guys in our living room. I see Peeta, now standing up facing Gale, his bright eyes dark. _Well that's new_.

"Funny. I thought I knew all of her friends. You have a name?" I scowl, not liking how aggressive Gale is being right now.

"Peeta Mellark. And you must be Gale Hawthorn." _How does he know that?_ My mind is replaying all of our conversations over the past few weeks, and I cannot ever remember bringing up Gale. A flicker of recognition dances across Gale's face.

"Mellark…You play tight end, right? For the U?" _Now I get it_. Like I said before, here in Michigan, football is life. _Thank god this is just about football_.

"And you're State's QB. Funny, Katniss never mentioned you." Peeta's voice is rough, like gravel, a tone I never would have expected him to use.

"She never mentioned you, either." The two of them stare at each other, in some kind of stand-off. Then, to my chagrin, they both look back over at me. _What the hell do I do now?_ My eyes dance between the two of them, unsure how to proceed. I look down at my hands, knotted into my shirt.

"I, uh, well…" _God Katniss, say something intelligible for once in your life_. I don't get the chance because I hear Peeta's voice.

"Don't worry about it, Katniss. I can leave." His voice is much softer now, and I look up to see something in his eyes I can't quite place. Then it hits me. _Hurt_.

"Peeta, I-"

"I said don't worry about it. I just kind of showed up this morning and didn't realize you were having company over. I didn't mean to intrude, I-I should have called. I'll see you Monday, okay?" He gives me a sad smile and heads out the door before I can say another word.


	8. Chapter 8

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

I make a pot of coffee for Gale and I, and we sit silently in the kitchen. Prim's medicine has effectively knocked her out on the couch, and she is now snoring. _Funny, she never snores. That stuff must be strong._

"So what's up with Blondie?" I look back and see Gale smirking.

"Nothing's 'up'. Like Prim said, he's a friend." _I don't know why this is so weird. He _is_ just a friend._

"I don't like you being friends with my competition, Catnip." I roll my eyes. _Boys and their sports_.

"Oh, come off it, Gale. I go to school here, remember?"

"I just don't like the idea of him replacing me, that's all." His voice is softer now.

"Replacing you? How can he replace you, Gale? I've known you for half my life!"

"It's just….never mind. Forget it." I hate it when he does this. Acts like he has something groundbreaking to say, then just sweeps it under the rug with a _forget it_.

"Forget what? Don't you dare do that, Gale Hawthorn." His eyes widen. I only ever use his full name when I am angry.

His eyes narrow, and suddenly he is angry too.

"How do you think it makes me feel, Katniss? Walking in here, seeing _him_ with Prim, with _you_! It's not supposed to be him in there, comforting you. It's supposed to be me!" His voice is heated and loud.

"How is it supposed to be you? You left, remember? You chose to go to State and play football. I'm not blaming you but you can't sit there and be mad when someone else is here!"

"I sure as hell can, Katniss!" He slams his fist down on the table, making me jump. _I swear to god if you wake Prim…_

"It's always supposed to be me! I took care of you when your dad died. Watched over you in school, protecting you from all those guys who had their eye on you. Why do you think I came home so often? It's all been for you! And now I come back to find some _other guy_?" he practically spits out the last part.

"Don't you dare drag him into this." My voice is cold. "He is my _friend_, Gale, and last time I checked I don't have too many of those running around these days."

"Can't you see it, Kat? You're too caught up in your own head the whole damn time to realize it. He's not the one who is supposed to be there for you!"

"Oh, yeah? Then who is? There's no one, Gale! Don't you get that? It's just me and Prim. There's no one else looking out for us. You're gone, Haymitch is drunk, so _excuse me_ for trying to have some semblance of a normal friendship with someone who actually wants to be around me!" I can feel the tears springing to my eyes, but I fight them off. _Don't you dare cry._

"He can't have you! I'm not going to sit there and let him take you from me!" There is a possessive look in Gale's eyes, and I am startled when he jumps out of his chair, lifts me up out of my seat, and presses his lips against mine. His kiss is rough and forceful, and I am too stunned to react. _This is my first kiss with Ga- Wait, what?_ I press my arms against his chest in an attempt to break free, but he only holds me tighter, He kisses me until he is out of breath, then pulls away and leans his forehead against mine. He is breathing heavily, but keeps his eyes closed. I see this as my opportunity and slowly wiggle out from his grasp. I back away until I hit the wall, and he opens his eyes and I can see that his cheeks are wet. I touch my own cheek, and realize that I am crying. _This is wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen. I can't…I can't…_

He is first to speak.

"I'm sorry, Kat. I had to do that, just once."

I can only stare back at him, the words choked up inside me. When I finally do speak, I can only whisper.

"You know I can't do this, Gale. I'm sorry…" The tears are flowing down my cheeks.

He takes a step towards me and I immediately flinch. He raises his hands, signaling his good intentions, and walks over and gently wipes away my tears. He lets out a loud exhale.

"I know. I guess I've always known. You're just…you're all I have, Catnip. I love you, you know that?"

I nod. I guess part of me has always known, but I was too scared to admit it and chance ruining the irreplaceable relationship we had.

He continues. "For me, there hasn't been anyone else. You're the most important person in my life. Seeing you with…with _him_…" The pain in his eyes in almost unbearable to witness.

I reach up and place my hand on his, which is still placed against my cheek. "No one can take your place, Gale. Not now, not ever. You have to see that. You're my family."

He smiles and places his lips gently against my forehead.

"If he hurts you, I swear to God I'll kill him." He looks down at me with an amused look on his face. _What is he talking about?_

My eyes widen in confusion. "What are you-?"

"You really are oblivious to the world, Catnip. You don't see the way Blondie was looking at you? He looked like he was ready to rip my head off." He has an annoying smirk on his face.

_Peeta? Is he serious? Wasn't that just about football?_

"I don't know what you're talking about. We're just-"

"Friends, right? If that's how you want to play this." I give him a playful punch on the shoulder, and he scoffs at me. A flood of relief washes over me when I realize that things between Gale and I were going to be alright. I don't know what I would do without him. We settle back down at the kitchen table, and spend the rest of the morning catching up on everything we've missed over the past few months. _This feels like home_.

After Gale leaves to meet up with his teammates, I decide to head over to Madge and Annie's place. Haymitch is home to look after Prim, but I am still reluctant to leave her when she is sick. He practically throws me out the door, though, mumbling something about 'getting a life'. Finnick opens the door, a mischievous look in his eyes. _I am so not in the mood for this right now_.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the heartbreaker herself."

"Heartbreaker? You must have her confused with someone else." I see Annie giggling on the couch behind him. I duck under his arm and collapse into the spot next to her. I grab a bottle of water from the table and take a big swig.

"That's not what I hear. Word on the street is that her boyfriend came to visit today."

I nearly choke on the water. I sit up as Annie pats me on the back, trying to help me regain my composure. After a few minutes of me coughing, I finally collect myself.

"Boyfriend?" I look at him incredulously.

"You heard me. Tall, dark, handsome type…football demigod over at State…sweeping you off your feet…any of this ring a bell?"

I burst out laughing. "Who, Gale? No, it's not like that. He like my- Wait, how did you know Gale was here?"

"I have my sources." He winks at me and my heart sinks. _Peeta_. _Peeta thinks Gale is my boyfriend_. Suddenly everything makes sense. The hurt look in his eyes, his discomfort when Gale wrapped me up in a hug, his uncomfortable exit…

Finnick notices the drop in my expression, and comes over and sits on the table in front of us. "I think you and a certain someone need to have a conversation. He's pretty upset, Kat. And he's not the type of guy who gets upset easily."

I have a guilty pit in the bottom of my stomach. I have the sudden urge to clear things up. And fast. "Where…when-"

"I'm heading home in a couple hours. Tag along then, he'll be there." He places a hand on my leg, and in this moment, I am incredibly grateful for Finnick Odair.


	9. Chapter 9

**I do ****not own the Hunger Games. All characters credited to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy**_  
_

My heart is racing as I walk up the steps behind Finnick's house. I've never been good with words, so this is bound to be difficult. _Why are you so nervous? Get a hold of yourself. You're just friends, remember?_ We enter the house and walk into the living room. I stop short when I see the entire room shift their attention to me. There are about five or six guys there, some with eyebrows raised, others with furrowed brows. _Why the hell am I here?_

"Up the stairs, end of the hall on the left." I turn and see Finnick, nodding his head towards the staircase. _You can do this, Katniss._

The floorboards creak under my every step. I walk as silently as I can to the end of the hallway, and raise my fist to knock on his door. I stand there for a moment, unsure whether or not to follow through with this or turn and run out the door. _Now or never._ I lightly rap on the door three times.

"What?" His voice is gruff through the door. I take a deep breath and turn the knob. His back is to me, and I immediately notice he is wearing nothing but a towel. His hair is damp from the shower, and the sunlight glistens off his muscular shoulders. My whole body heats up, and there is a stirring feeling in my stomach. My eyes must be wide as saucers.

"Well? What do you want?" I realize he doesn't know the identity of his visitor, and I open my mouth to speak as he turns around. He freezes, staring at me with his mouth open, his blue eyes blazing. My eyes trail down his broad chest, down to where the towel is slung low on his hips. _Wow. _He clears his throat and I flush scarlet, realizing I have been caught in the act.

"Katniss? How- What are you doing here?" I see the same blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"I just…I was with Finn and he told me about…I wanted to explain…" _This is not going well. _I sit down on the edge of his bed and drop my head into my hands.

"What do you want to explain?" His voice is soft, and I can't bear to look at him right now. I keep my head down.

"Earlier today-" He cuts me off before I can get out a full sentence.

"I'm sorry about that. It wasn't my place to come in the first place, let alone when your boyfriend was coming over. I'm sorry if I made things uncomfortable for you. I was just trying to help Prim, and I wanted to see you….Bottom line is that I'm sorry."

This causes me to raise my head. He is kneeling in front of me now, and I can't help but be in awe of him. _He is sorry? I came to apologize and instead he is apologizing to me?_ His eyes are level with mine, and I can't help but stare. I have never really seen them up close before. They are without a doubt the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, and I sit there, silent, my own gray eyes locked onto his.

He speaks again. "Katniss, please. Say something." _I'm not good at saying something_.

I muster up the courage and finally speak. "Gale isn't my boyfriend."

There is a small flicker in his eyes, and I can tell that he is trying to process whatever thoughts are running through his head at my statement.

"Really? But it looked like…I just assumed…"

"He's like a brother to me. I've known him almost half of my life, and he's…well…_protective_ of me, I guess. He was there for me when…" I stop short, realizing where this conversation was going. _Shit. _

Peeta reaches a hand out and places it on my leg. My breath hitches, surprised by my body's reaction to his touch. His eyes widen ever so slightly, but he keeps his hand steady.

"You don't have to talk about this, you know. But if you ever wanted to, you know I would listen. Right?" His expression is nothing but sincere, and I have to use every ounce of strength to not throw my arms around him. _Get it together!_

I've never really divulged the full details of my childhood with anyone, aside from Gale. Even with him, there has always been a wall up around the memories of me and my dad. I didn't trust them with anyone, but for some reason, I opened my mouth and let everything out. Peeta sat quielty in front of me, never once tearing his eyes away from mine. When I was finished, I realized that, for the first time, I had talked about my dad without crying. The corners of my mouth turned up at the thought, which clearly confused Peeta.

"What?" His voice was cautious. It's as if he knew just how vulnerable I was at that very moment.

"Nothing. Well, I've never really told anyone all of that before. And I'm normally not this…_okay_ with it." A huge grin breaks out onto Peeta's face. _My god, he is breathtaking._ I can't help but smile in return.

"Thank you for telling me. I know how hard that must have been for you but it means a lot to me. That you feel comfortable talking to me."

"I must say, it was a bit surprising." He raises his eyebrow. "Seeing as how you're basically naked…"

For the first time since I arrived he remembers that he is only wearing a towel. His face flushes a deep scarlet, and immediately stands up.

"Oh god, I'm sorry." He dashes over to his drawers and pulls out a pair of sweatpants, then disappears into the bathroom to change.

While he is gone, I sit and rehash the past thirty minutes. Somehow, I had ended up revealing my entire life story to a guy I had known for two weeks. A guy who managed to get me to open up more than I had with anyone else, without even trying. His touches not only put me at ease, but kindle something inside me that I have never felt before.

I hear the door open and see him emerge, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Sorry about that, again. You sort of distracted me." He is rubbing his neck, most likely a nervous habit.

"It's okay, I didn't really mind." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I clap my hand over my mouth in shock, and he lets out a laugh. I sit there, mortified, not knowing how to proceed. He walks over to me, takes my hand, and pulls me up off the bed. Our faces are only inches apart, and I silently pray he cannot hear how loud my heart is beating.

"So we're okay?"

I nod. "We're okay."

"Friends?" He asks, and I note a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"Friends." Although the word comes naturally out of my mouth, there is something so ordinary about it that doesn't seem to do him justice. _Was Peeta just a friend?_ There was something about him that pulled me in like a magnet, and I couldn't remember feeling that way with any of my other friends.

I am interrupted from my thoughts by his arms pulling me into an embrace. At first, I freeze, but it only takes a second for my arms to respond. They wrap around his waist and I rest my head on his chest. No one has held me like this in such a long time. Since my father died and I stopped trusting my mother, no one else's arms have made me feel this safe. It feels like my whole body has been set on fire. I can hear his heartbeat quicken, and I smile. _I could freeze this moment and stay like this forever. Wait. We're just friends, right? Should it feel this good to hug a friend?_ He sighs, sends goosebumps up and down my skin. I feel his chest puff out as he inhales the scent of my hair. It takes all my strength to pull my head back and look up at him. Our faces are so close, practically touching. He looks down at me, as if he'd be happy to stand there gazing at me forever. _Could I see him as more than a friend?_

"Do you smell all your friends?" He lets out a laugh, and I can't help but laugh as well.

"None of my friends smell as good as you." My heart skips a beat.

_Definitely not just a friend._


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much for all the reviews! Will try and update more before the holiday weekend. Once again, I do not own the Hunger Games. Character credit Suzanne Collins. Enjoy!**_  
_

_My god, it's cold_. I vigorously rub my hands together, wishing I hadn't forgotten my gloves. I look over at Madge and can't help but smile. She is bundled up head-to-toe; I can barely see her face through her hood, earmuffs, and scarf. Annie is on the other side of her, Finnick's arms wrapped around her tightly. _How much longer do I have to be here?_ I look up at the scoreboard and see that there are nearly two full quarters left in the game.

Michigan State is currently one touchdown ahead, the score at 21-14. Gale has been outstanding so far, and it's all I can do to not jump up and cheer whenever he completes a pass. However, that probably wouldn't go over well with the thousands of Michigan fans surrounding me. I've had my eye trained on Peeta for the majority of the game. A shudder runs through me every time he is tackled. I am overwhelmed by how much I care about his safety. Madge is aware of this as well, seeing as how I grip her arm every time he gets the football. She is just beside herself. _Maybe I should consider making some new friends_.

The third quarter is uneventful until it happens. Peeta takes the ball up the sideline and looks to be in the clear for a touchdown, the crowd going wild. Then, out of what seems like nowhere, he is flattened by a Michigan State player. A scuffle breaks out between Peeta's assailant and another Michigan player, all the while Peeta lays unmoving on the ground. My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach as the trainer and coach run out onto the field. _I think I'm going to be sick._

"Katniss. _Katniss!"_ I look over at Madge, a pained look on her face. "You're squeezing my arm." I look down and see my nails digging into her, most likely leaving a bruise. I release my grip and she rubs the area tenderly.

"Sorry it's just-" My voice is frantic and my eyes dance between hers and where Peeta lays on the field.

"I'm sure he's fine, Kat." Finnick's voice is forced, as if he is trying to not only convince me but also himself.

"Oh my god." I see a fearful look in Madge's eyes and I look to see an ambulance driving onto the field.

_No no no no no no no _

"Where are they taking him?" My voice is demanding as I turn to Finnick.

"Med Center, most likely. But Katniss-"

I don't stick around to hear anything else and start weaving my way through the throngs of students, searching for the aisle. I reach it and fly up the stairs, bowling through anyone in my way. It seems like hours before I finally reach the exit, and I take a minute to get my bearings. The Med Center is on the opposite side of the campus, a twenty minute walk at least. I could go home and take Haymitch's car, but that would take even longer. He might not even be home. I take one last look around me, noticing a light snow begin to fall, and take off running.

The air is so cold it nearly takes my breath away. My face is numb from the snow and wind, but there is nothing that would keep me from getting to the hospital. _He's going to be alright. He HAS to be alright. I can't lose him just yet._ My thoughts are driving me crazy and it is a small miracle that I make it to the hospital in one piece. It takes me a while to find the correct nurse's station, and I rush over to ask about Peeta. A hand reaches out and grabs my arm, causing me to jump. It's the baker, Peeta's father. Judging by his attire he came straight from the game as well.

"Katniss?" His voice is broken, fear in his eyes.

"Is he-?" I can barely choke out the words, tears burning in my eyes.

"He's still unconscious. The hit knocked him out and he hasn't come to yet." It's as though he took a knife and stabbed it into my chest. The tears fall freely now, and my legs start shaking. He pulls me into the seat next to him and wraps an arm protectively around my shoulders, letting me cry into his chest.

"There, there. It's going to be okay. He's a fighter, that one. He'll make it through this." His words are hushed, like a father comforting a small child. I am overwhelmed by how much I miss my own father, which causes me to cry even more. _I can't lose another one. I just can't._

I can't believe I let myself get close to someone like this. This…pain…it's almost unbearable.

"I didn't know you two were together." I look up at the man, quickly wiping away my tears.

"We're not. I mean, we're just friends." He takes a hard look at me, as if he were trying to decode a puzzle. I've seen Haymitch give me this look more times than I can count.

"Well, he's an incredibly lucky man to have a friend like you." He smiles, and I can immediately see where Peeta gets his kindness. _Like father, like son._

I sit up as my breathing returns to normal. Unlike Peeta, his father is a man of few words, so we remain in silence until a doctor comes looking for him.

"Mr. Mellark?" He jumps up.

"Yes, that's me. How is my son?" His voice is urgent.

The doctor looks at him, then over his shoulder at me. "Come with me please." And then I am alone.

My phone is buzzing with calls and messages from Madge and Annie, but I can't bring myself to answer. I have nothing to say yet, anyways.

I suddenly feel exhausted. My eyelids are heavy, and I lay down on the couch in the waiting room. _I'll just rest my eyes for a minute. Only a minute…_

I am awoken by a hand gently shaking my shoulder. Peeta's father is standing over me, a small smile on his face.

"He wants to see you." _He's awake. Oh thank god he's awake._

"What happened?" My voice is no louder than a whisper.

"He has a pretty severe concussion from the hit. And he broke his collarbone when he landed, so he is a bit sedated. But other than that, he'll be just fine." A wave of relief washes over me, and a smile breaks out across my face. Peeta's father points me in the direction of his room, and tells me to go in alone.

I am more nervous than I would have expected as I walk through the door, and I gasp when I see him. His eyes are closed, and he looks so fragile and small in the big hospital bed. His right arm is in a sling, and my heart breaks. I hate seeing him like this. I tiptoe over to the bed and gently take his free hand in mine. His eyes fly open, and I can tell that the normally clear blue eyes are hazy with sedatives.

"This is the best dream I've ever had." _He thinks he is dreaming this_. A small smile curls up the corners of my mouth.

"Peeta?" He blinks his eyes a few times, returning to his normal state, then focuses on me.

"You're really here. I didn't really believe it when my Dad told me." He speaks like a small child, and I squeeze his hand tightly.

"I sort of…ran here." He smiles and squeezes my hand in return.

"You never cease to amaze me, Katniss Everdeen." He brings my hand up to his lips and presses them against my knuckles. A chill runs through my body, and I can feel the tears well up in my eyes again. _Why am I crying?_

"Katniss?" He has a worried look on his face, and despite my best efforts, the tears begin to freely fall.

"When you got hit…and then the ambulance…Finnick said…then I was running…and your dad was here…and I was just so scared." The words come out between my sobs, and Peeta moves over in the bed and pulls me down next to him with his good arm. I nuzzle into his shoulder as my tears continue, and he strokes my hair, holding me close to him. My fist grabs onto his shirt, as if I am preparing for someone to take him away from me at any given moment.

"Shhhh. I'm okay. I'm here. Shhhh."

It takes a solid ten minutes for me to pull myself together. By the time I compose myself, I feel completely embarrassed. Regardless, I am amazed at how wonderful it feels to be wrapped up next to Peeta. He looks down at me and I feel like I am the only person in the world he sees. In a span of one hour, I have gone from completely devastated to wonderfully content. _That is going to be a problem_.

"Hey." His voice is soft. "Are you going to be okay?"

I nod, not sure what words to say to express my feelings at that moment.

"I didn't think you cared…so much." He doesn't look me in the eyes when he speaks.

_I didn't either._ I didn't realize until this moment just how much I really cared about Peeta. How much I wanted to be around him. How terrible I felt when I thought I might have lost him. I am immediately struck by our close proximity again. My hand is resting on his chest, and I can feel it rise and fall with his steady breath. His hand is absentmindedly tracing circles on my arm. My chest is flush against his side, and I feel that stirring in my stomach again.

"Katniss?" His voice interrupts my thoughts. He is looking at me now, his blue eyes fiercely trained on mine.

My eyes flicker down to his lips for a split second, just long enough to see his tongue dart out and wet them. My breath hitches as he leans his head down, slowly as if waiting for my approval, and he gently presses his lips against mine. The spot where our lips meet ignites my whole body on fire. Our mouths move together, and he places his hand on my lower back, pulling me closer to him. My hand wraps around his neck, tangling in his hair. His lips part slightly, and he traces my bottom lip with his tongue. I let out a small moan, which makes him deepen the kiss. He tries to pull me on top of him when suddenly he lets out a stifled groan. _What have I done? _I pull back, my brow furrowed in confusion, when I notice that I have rolled onto the sling.

"Sorry! Oh god Peeta I'm sorry!" I roll back over a little violently and end up crashing onto the floor. _That was graceful_. I hear his laugh from the bed above me as he pokes his head over the side.

"Are you alright?" He tries to keep a serious face but can't keep the smile from his lips.

_If I hadn't just crushed your arm I probably would be more upset about this._ Instead, I pull myself up off the floor and sit on the side of the bed. He takes my hand in his, our fingers entwined. He has that sheepish grin on his face, and the mere sight of it melts my heart. I lean over and place one soft kiss on his lips. We are both pink-cheeked, but in that moment, nothing else mattered.

"It's getting late. I don't want Prim and Haymitch to worry about you…" His voice trails off, but I can tell there is something else he wants to say.

"Can I stay with you?" _Where did that come from?_

He looks at me for a while before making room in the bed again. I kick off my shoes and cuddle up next to him, this time paying extra attention to his injured arm. After the stress of the evening, I find myself drifting off to sleep in seconds. But before everything goes black, I hear him whisper out one word into my hair.

"Always."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! Once again, I do not own the Hunger Games. Character credit Suzanne Collins. Enjoy!**_  
_

Peeta

It continued to snow through that week, leaving Ann Arbor buried in blankets of white. Because my concussion was so serious, they kept me under observation for a while. Katniss stayed by my side pretty much day and night, leaving only long enough to run back to her house to check on Prim. It took me a few days to grow accustomed to waking up with her asleep in the chair next to me, our hands intertwined. I had been head over heels for this girl for two years, and still couldn't quite believe that she was here. _With me._ The very thought of her brought a smile to my face.

_I remember the day I first laid eyes on Katniss Everdeen. It was a Tuesday morning in early September. I was working in the back of the café, like I did pretty much every morning. There were only a few tables of people, and my dad was working at the counter. He loved interacting with people, his eyes lighting up whenever the bell on the door jingled. Since I had started school I wasn't around much, and he grew increasingly lonely. My mother was a cold woman and spent more time in front of the television than speaking to my father. She never showed affection to anyone, not my father or any of her three sons. My brothers both moved away for school, trying to distance themselves from our so-called 'family'. But I couldn't bring myself to leave my dad. When Michigan recruited me, I knew I was meant to stay with him. Sometimes I would wonder about life outside of Michigan, but those thoughts stopped the day I saw her._

_She was sitting alone when I first spotted her. She had dark glossy hair tucked into a braid, with a few pieces loose around her face. Her face. She had the most beautiful skin that I had an incredible urge to touch. Her stony grey eyes were captivating, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her right then and there. She was wearing an oversized, worn-in Michigan sweatshirt, and my heart sunk thinking about how it might belong to a boyfriend. She was too beautiful to be available. She was soon joined by her two friends, a striking blonde and a pretty brunette who I immediately recognized. I hadn't met Annie at that point, but Finnick had countless pictures of her in his room that I had been forced to look at over and over again. But neither one of them held a candle to Katniss. She was, in a word, unforgettable._

_Every weekday morning for the next two years, I watched her. I told myself day after day that this would be the day I finally introduced myself to her, but I always ended up talking myself out of it. What would I say to her? Would I ask her out? Try and talk to her about school? Tell her I was madly in love with her? It all seemed hopeless. Those two hours she sat at that table were the best of my day. After a few weeks she developed a rapport with my father. She became one of his favorite customers, and it made my heart swell to see her smile at him every morning. _

_My friends didn't help much. It seemed like their life mission to set me up with someone. The few dates I went on always ended with me thinking about Katniss. But regardless of how often I refused, my friends continued to force girls on me. Finnick was the worst. I know his intentions were for the most part good; he was so in love with Annie he couldn't help but want the same for me. He was particularly insistent with one of the girls on the swim team, Delly. She was pretty enough, and had curves most women envied. Apparently she had a crush on me since she saw me leaving the trainer one day, but I always found her a bit forward. She approached me at nearly every party I attended, trying to get me to come home with her. I politely refused every time; if I was going to leave with anyone it would be Katniss. I never got that opportunity, however, because she never came to any of the same parties. I always hoped she would come with Annie, but my hopes were always in vain. _

_Everything changed that night. Finnick had planned yet another party, and begged me to come. He was getting on my last nerve, so I finally agreed just to shut him up. I was actually about to leave when I saw her. Her hair was loose and flowed over her shoulders and down her back. I had never seen her like this before, and I was absolutely stunned. She had a gray silk shirt that perfectly matched her eyes, and it was cut low in the front. I must have been drooling; the mere sight of her ignited a fire within me. When she was pushed into my arms, I swear my heart stopped beating entirely. She was close enough for me to smell the lavender soap she must have used. It was heavenly. _

_By the end of that night, if it wasn't clear to me before, I was a complete goner for Katniss Everdeen._

The fourth morning of my hospital stay I woke up, my hand clutching that of the person next to me. My eyes fluttered open and focused on a blonde girl in the chair where Katniss slept. A confused look spread across my face. _What the-am I dreaming?_

"Delly? What are you doing here?" My eyes flicker down to her hands, still holding mine, and I gently wriggle mine away. She frowns at this.

"What do you mean? I came to make sure you were okay! I've been _so_ worried about you, Peeta." She has a look in her eyes that I don't like, and she places her hand on my leg.

"I-uh-I'm surprised to see you here, that's all. Was there anyone else here when you got here?" _Where is Katniss?_

"Just me. I'm glad we are alone though…I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now." _I don't like where this is going_.

She shifts forward in her seat, and before I can say another word her lips crash into mine. She has her hand on my chest and is pressing against me. I grab at her with my free arm and attempt to push her off of me. _This is wrong. This needs to stop. Now._

I finally get her to pull away from me, and her cheeks are bright red and she is smiling widely at me.

"Delly, I-"

"Peeta?" It feels like I have just been punched in the gut. Her voice is barely audible but I can recognize it anywhere. I turn to have my suspicions confirmed. Katniss is standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and glassy. _No. No, God no._

"Katniss…" She puts her hands up, as if to stop me from speaking. She turns and runs out the door.

"Katniss, wait! I can explain!" By now, I have managed to push Delly off to the side and have swung my legs off the bed. I stumble over to the door, but by the time I reach the hallway she is gone. My Katniss is gone.


	12. Chapter 12

It's been over a week since the incident with Delly in the hospital. Despite everything, I can't bring myself to be mad at her. My relationship with Katniss wasn't exactly made public, and there really isn't any reason she would have known about it. She has apologized profusely, but no words can mend what has broken inside of me.

I have called Katniss over a dozen times. I went to her house, only to have a bottle thrown at my head by Haymitch. _Can't really say I didn't deserve that one_. Finnick is about ready to kill me because I have done nothing but ask him about Katniss, hoping Annie would have something to tell me. Those hopes were in vain.

I haven't seen her in days. The worst part is knowing that she finally opened up to me and trusted me, and she thinks I betrayed her. Since my injury prevents me from practicing and working at the café, I spend my days in bed. I can't sleep though, because my mind cannot stop thinking about her. I replay everything over and over, trying to savor each moment we had together. _The smell of her hair. The heat of her skin against mine. The fullness of her lips._ I want so badly for her to forgive me, but her stubborn personality gives me little hope. Even Finnick is starting to worry. I can tell he notices the dark circles under my eyes, my loss of appetite, and general decrease in energy.

I am lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling, when I hear a knock on my door. I look over at the clock and see that it's after midnight. _You have got to be kidding me._

The knocking persists, and I reluctantly go to unlock the door.

"What's the deal?" I am face to face with Finnick, who looks like he just rolled out of bed.

"There's someone here to see you."

"Come on, man. I can't do this right now, okay?" I give him a pleading look. _Please just leave me alone_.

"You're gonna want to go downstairs, Peet. Trust me on this one."

"Whatever. This better be important." I am in a foul mood as I walk down the stairs, but stop dead in my tracks when I see who is sitting on the couch.

"Prim?" She turns when I speak, and I can see that she is worn down. Her normally sparkling eyes are dull, and she has dark circles under them that match mine. I can tell something is immediately wrong, and my heart sinks. _Katniss_.

"What's wrong, Prim?" I do my very best to keep my voice calm, but it still comes out shaky.

Her eyes well up with tears, and my mind immediately rushes to the worst-case scenario. _Something bad has happened to Katniss_.

I can barely hear her as she speaks, her voice thick with pain. "My aunt called us about an hour ago. My mother…" Her voice trails off as tears begin to fall down her cheeks. "Our mom is dead."

Her voice breaks and she begins to shake with every sob. I rush over to the couch beside her, and pull her into my arms. We sit like this for what feels like hours before she composes herself and I speak.

"Katniss?" Her name catches in my throat, and I fight the tears that threaten to fall.

Prim looks up at me. "She-I-I can't get her to come out of her room. She's been locked in there since we found out. Well, she's been in there for days now…" It feels like a knife has been thrust into my chest when I hear this. _This is my fault. I broke her. I did this._

She continues. "You have to help me. Please, Peeta. You're the only one who can fix this."

I sit there for a moment, stunned. _What do you mean, I'm the only one who can fix this?_She seems to sense my confusion, and places her tiny hand on mine. I never noticed how small she was until this very moment.

"I see the way she looks at you. Her face…when she talks about you, its like there's nothing else in the world that matters. I've never seen her like that with anyone."

I am speechless. Could this mean she actually might feel as strongly about me as I do about her? My heart swells for a moment, but then I quickly realize that Katniss probably hates me right now.

"She won't even talk to me, Prim. She won't even let me explain that…how I feel…I really hurt her. I don't think I can help." The words sit heavy in the air. Prim is visibly disappointed.

"Peeta Mellark, do you know _nothing_ about my sister? She's about as stubborn as they come and isn't about to admit when she makes a mistake. Especially when it comes to love." _Love? Did she just say love?_

She notices the spark in my eyes and smiles. _She has Katniss' smile._ "If you want her, you're going to have to fight for her. Do you think you can do that?" She is teasing me now.

I lean down and kiss her on the top of her head.

"I'll give her everything I have."

Twenty minutes later, I find myself outside the door to Katniss' bedroom. My heart is beating practically out of my chest. Prim knocks on the door in an attempt to get her sister to unlock it.

"Katniss? Katniss, please. Please open the door." There is no sound coming from the bedroom. She tries again. "Katniss, I cut my hand. I need your help. Please? It hurts." I raise my eyebrows at her lie, but she simply puts a finger up to her lips and shakes her head. I hear a soft thump, and the footsteps of her coming over to the door. The doorknob turns and in an instant we are face to face. Her hair is disheveled in its knotted braid. She has dark circles under her eyes, and she looks like a frightened animal. Her grey eyes meet mine and I see them harden. She looks at Prim with a scowl on her face.

"Prim, what _exactly_ do you think you are doing?" Her voice is low and biting. Prim winces.

"I need help, Katniss. I needed help…with you." I can see the words sink in, clearly not what she wanted to hear.

"I'm _fine_, Prim. I don't need help, especially not from him." _She won't even say my _name. She moves to shut the door again but I stick my arm out, preventing her from creating a barrier between us. Her eyes fly up to meet mine.

"Move." Her tone is rough, and it hurts to hear her once sweet voice turn to gravel. I can't find the right words, so I just shake my head. She struggles to shut the door again, but she is no match against me.

"You need to move. Now. You have no right to be here." Her voice is beginning to quiver, and I can see her eyes becoming glassy. _Please don't cry. I can't handle that._

I slowly take a step forward towards her, opening the door as I move. She raises her hands as she backs away, and I am hit with a pang of sadness. _She looks like she did in the hospital. The last time I saw her_. But that was different. This time, I won't let her get away.

I cross the threshold into her room and I see Prim close the door behind us. At first, Katniss looks almost frightened to be trapped in her room with me, but that expression soon changes into anger. She tries to push past me but I am too quick, and pull her to me with my good arm. She struggles against me, trying to push away but I don't give her an inch. Tears are flowing down her face and I hear her trying to choke back her sobs.

"Let me go! Please, Peeta. Just let me go!" Her voice is becoming frantic, and I don't know how much more of this I can take.

"Why won't you just let me go?" She is broken now, sobbing against my chest.

"I can't." She looks up at me and I realize this is the first time I have spoken since I got here.

"I just can't, Katniss. I can't let you go." I feel the tears well up in my eyes when I realize just how scared I am to lose her.

She moves her arms that have been trapped against my chest, and for a second I think she is trying to push away again. I am surprised to feel them wrap around my waist, holding onto me in a vice grip, and she buries her head in my chest, continuing to cry.

I somehow find my voice again. "I am so sorry, Katniss. I am so, so sorry. For everything. I never meant to hurt you…I care about you more than anything in this world. I…" _Just say it. It's now or never_. _She deserves to know_. "I love you, Katniss."

Her breath hitches, and she looks up at me. A look of bewilderment paints her face. I continue.

"I'm not expecting you to feel the same way. I mean, we just met, really. But you need to know how I feel. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Nothing I wouldn't do to protect you."

"Why?" Her voice is meek, like that of a small child. "Why would you love me?" _Is she serious? Is it even possible for me to put that into words?_

I take a deep breath, and begin. "Katniss, you are without a doubt the most beautiful person I have ever seen. You are kind, smart, captivating, determined, and strong. You are the strongest person I know. What you do for your family…it's amazing, really. You never cease to amaze me. You have no idea the effect you have on me."

She has not broken eye contact with me since I began speaking. With every second of silence that passes, I feel the sting of rejection creep up on me. _I've said too much. I've scared her away. Dammit, why did you tell her you love her?_ I can't bear to look at her anymore, so I close my eyes and try to convince myself that this was all just a terrible dream.

My heart skips a beat when I feel her hand against my cheek. I slowly open my eyes to find her staring up at me.

"Everyone I love leaves me." Her words stop me short. Everyone _she_ loves? _Does she love me?_

I am silent as she speaks again. "I'm scared. Of this, of you…of what I am feeling for you. I can't help but think that one day I'll wake up and you won't be here anymore."

"Katniss-"

"You can't leave me. You can't run off and do something stupid and leave me alone again. I've lost too many…you-you have to stay with me."

"There is nothing on this planet that could keep me from you, Katniss. The only way I'm leaving is if you tell me to." I reach out and gently wipe the tears from her eyes, and I see the corners of her mouth turn up into the tiniest of smiles. My heart soars and a huge grin breaks out across my face.

"Will you stay here with me?" She looks up at me expectantly, and I can't help myself. I lean down and brush my lips against hers, feeling her warmth spread through me. She sighs, and I pull back and place a kiss on her forehead.

I remember the words I spoke to her in the hospital when I answer.

"Always."


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry it has taken me so long to update! I know this is a filler chapter but it has taken me a while to figure out where I want to take this story. Thank you for your patience and your inspiring reviews! Once again, I do not own the Hunger Games. Character credit Suzanne Collins. Enjoy!**_  
_

Katniss

I stare out the car window as we drive up Interstate 75. Snow covered everything I laid my eyes on, and dusted the looming trees that lined the road. Prim is snoring lightly in the seat behind me, her breathing heavy. I gave her a sleeping pill at the beginning of the trip because she gets carsick so easily.

I sigh and look back out the window when I feel his hand intertwine with mine. He gives it a light squeeze and I turn to look at him. His blonde hair is tousled from the hood of his sweatshirt, and his blue eyes are focused on the road ahead of him. No matter how many times I refused, Peeta insisted on driving Prim and I back home for the funeral. I couldn't help but be grateful for his presence; he was soothing with Prim in a way I never could be, and she needed that, especially now.

If I'm being completely honest, I think I needed a little bit of that too.

"Enjoying the view?" I see a smirk on his face and blushed, realizing I had been staring at him for quite some time.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself. You have something on your face." _No you don't_.

His hand flies up to his cheek, accompanied by a scarlet flush, and I let out a laugh. I've been doing more of that lately, only with him.

He steals my ever-present scowl. "No fair. You shouldn't be distracting the driver, Kat, it's not safe…" His eyes widen as his voice trails off. "Oh God, I didn't mean to say that…I wasn't thinking…"

My mind immediately flashes back to my father's accident. The sound of the hail beating down on our roof. My mother collapsing on the floor when the police arrived. The look on Prim's face when I told her we would never see our father again. The crushing blow of realizing we would never see our father again.

My gaze flits from Peeta's worried expression and furrowed brow back to the passing landscape. _I don't think I can do this. _

I barely notice the car pulling off to the side of the road until the passenger door opened and I was hit with a burst of cold air. I shuddered before being pulled into his strong embrace. The now-familiar scent of cinnamon infiltrated my senses, and I buried my face into his chest, tears soaking into his sweatshirt. I didn't even know I had started to cry.

"I'm so sorry Katniss. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't mean to joke about it." He is stroking my hair, steadying my uneven breathing until I calm down. He pulls back and looks down at me, his blue eyes pleading with mine.

"You can do this, Katniss."

I see worry and vulnerability in his gaze, and it's as if he can read every thought in my head. I reach up and place my hand on his cheek, and his covers mine. He places a gentle kiss on my forehead, and the corners of his lips turn up into an almost imperceptible smile.

"Its alright, Peeta." The strength in my voice surprises me, but I continue. "You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't mean anything by that." It's not his fault that I am broken, and the last thing I want to see is Peeta feeling guilty. My hand travels behind his neck, and I pull his forehead down to meet mine. We stay like this, the only sound made is our steady breathing. A particularly cold gust of wind jolts us back to reality, causing Peeta to reluctantly pull away and close the door.

The remainder of the car ride is uneventful. Peeta maintains a firm grip on my hand the entire way, his thumb tracing absentminded circles on mine. I found myself humming along to a few songs that played on the radio, each time eliciting a squeeze from his hand and a small smile.

As we neared the familiar sights of my hometown, my heart tightened in my chest. I hadn't been home in almost two years, and the pain of my memories was beginning to weigh down on me. Prim was beginning to stir just as the car pulled up to the small hotel where we would be staying for the weekend. As Peeta unloaded the trunk and went to check in, I took Prim across the street to a café to grab some coffee.

She waits until we are out of earshot before turning to me.

"I don't know if I can do this, Katniss." I look down and notice her small hands are shaking. I place my hands on her shoulders and focus my eyes on hers.

"You got me here, Prim. You can do this. You are the strongest person I know. I _know_ you can do this, Little Duck. _We_ can do this." I can't help but smile at this and neither can she.

"You haven't called me that in a long time. I missed it."

I am overwhelmed with the love I feel for her in that moment, and wrap her up in a bear hug and kiss her on the top of her head.

"We'll get through this. I promise." _I hope._

We grab the coffees and head back outside. My breath catches as my eyes lock on Peeta. He is leading up against the side of his car, hands crossed over his chest for warmth. His hair is ruffled in the wind and his eyes are closed. He looks so peaceful, almost like a statue. My staring didn't go unnoticed by Prim, who elbows me and smiles.

"Hot enough for you, Kat?" My eyes grow wide as saucers as she shoots me a devious grin.

"I…um…what?"

A loud laugh escapes her, which catches Peeta's attention and he looks over to see me flushing a deep scarlet color. The same color creeps up on his own cheeks, and Prim's laughter doubles.

"Looks like he is thinking the same thing." I shoot her a glare and her face takes on a serious expression.

"I'm serious, Katniss. I really like this one. For you. You're different with him. It's like you finally have something to smile about. Don't mess this up."

"Don't mess what up?" My head whips around and see Peeta, who has made his way over to us and, by the look on his face, has clearly overheard my sister.

"Nothing. Nothing is going to be messed up." He cocks an eyebrow.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" He drapes his arm over my shoulders

My scowl returns to my face, and he laughs before pulling me flush to his chest. I can feel the heat from his body radiate through me, and say a silent prayer that he can't feel how fast my heart is beating.

His breath is warm and tickles my ear as he whispers, "You couldn't mess it up if you tried."


	14. Chapter 14

**Once again, I do not own the Hunger Games. Character credit Suzanne Collins. Enjoy!**_  
_

I woke up sweating and disoriented. Looking around the darkness of the room, my eyes land on the clock. _5AM._ _Perfect. No time like the present to start the day, Everdeen._ I can hear the steady breathing of a sleeping Prim in the bed next to me as I tiptoe over to my suitcase to grab my clothes. Knowing it will be freezing outside, I pull on a pair of sweatpants, a long-sleeve shirt, thick socks, and my dad's sweatshirt. I grab a pair of gloves and tuck my hair into my knit scarf. The lobby is empty, aside from the middle-aged receptionist, who looks at me like I have a third head. I smile tightly at her and head out into the cold. This is the first time I have been truly alone since arriving back home. I haven't gotten used to having Peeta around yet, and having to suppress my emotions around him has been exhausting. I have a nagging fear that if I let him in completely, he will change his mind about this whole thing. _He loves you, you idiot._ That's the other thing. Peeta loves me. I didn't even want to begin to try and sort through the feelings I had for him, at least not when I have to bury my mother in a few hours.

The thought sends a cold shock through my body, starting in the pit of my stomach and spreading to my fingers and toes.

I don't waste another minute.

My feet find their comfortable pace as I jog through town. The dark sky is showing the first signs of morning, and I pass a boy not much older than Prim starting out to deliver the morning paper. I remember the route like the back of my hand. As I keep running, I hear a car come up behind me and see the driver flash his brights. I slow my pace and dart off to the sidewalk before turing to look back at the car.

Sherriff Undersee has his window rolled down and slows the cruiser to a crawl, matching my pace.

"That you, Everdeen?" I can hear the smile in his gruff voice.

"Yes sir. How have you been, Sherriff?"

"Now you know I keep telling you to call me Jim, young lady. This 'Sherriff' business makes me feel old." His eyes, Madge's eyes, and filled with kindness.

I smile, and an awkward silence falls between us. I don't really know what to say to a man I haven't seen in 3 years.

His face takes on a pained expression, and my heart drops to my stomach. "I wish you were here under better circumstances, Katniss. I know all of us here are real sorry for your loss." _And so it begins_.

The part I hated most, aside from the actual death of my father, was the pity that was bestowed upon me by everyone with a mouth in this town. People seemed to feel obligated to tell me how sorry they were for me, for my _loss_. I hated that word. Loss didn't even begin to cover the heartbreak of losing the most important person in your life.

I needed to change this subject.

"Madge home yet?" Madge had insisted on coming home for the funeral, and for that I loved her. She treats me like a normal human being, instead of like some wounded animal.

"She and Annie got in late last night. I'll give her a call when I get back to the station. Let her know to give you a call." He gives me another sad smile, but thankfully realizes how much I am dreading this conversation.

"You be safe out here now. There's black ice not yet melted on these roads." And just like that, Jim put his 'Sherriff' hat back on, rolls up his window, and drives off.

I didn't realize where I was going until I got there. It looked exactly as it did when we moved out, right down to the faded red paint of the front door. My hands trembled as I walked around the side of my house, down the path leading into the woods. The minute I laid my eyes on them, I felt at home. I walked over to the large pine and ran my hand over the initials carved in that tree. _K.E._ and _D.E._ were still there, as prominent as they were all those years ago. I had tried to spell out his full name, Daniel, but my small hands tired after just one letter.

Finally, the weight of all my suppressed emotion hit me like a ton of bricks, and I collapsed down onto the ground, my back against our tree.

I don't know how long I was out there, my body numb from the cold, before I heard tires crunching on the gravel of the driveway. A car door slammed shut, and the sound of a light footsteps followed. I knew that tread anywhere, and my suspicions were confirmed when his tall figure emerged from the side of the house. The idiot didn't even have a heavy jacket on.

"Damn it, Catnip. It's freezing out here. What the hell are you doing half buried in snow?" The whining in his voice made my lips curl up into a small smile.

"Since when did you become such a baby, Gale? It's only a little snow." He knew I was teasing him, and pretended to pout. He looked so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh.

"Just get in the truck, will you?"

It was then I realized just how cold my body was, and I internally cursed myself for what I knew I had to do.

"Um…Gale?" He looked at me, and in an instant, realization swept across his face and he smirked.

"What's the hold-up, Catnip? You stuck or something?"

I scowled back at him.

"Just get me in the truck, will you?"

He laughed and trudged over to me, grabbing my arms and hauling me up over his shoulder. _Now this is just ridiculous_.

He placed me back on my feet once we were back by his massive F150 and opened the passenger door. I literally climbed in and was thrilled to see two steaming hot cups of coffee in the center console. He entered from the driver's side and cranked up the heat, waiting for the car to warm up before heading back into town.

I could feel his gaze on me as I vigorously rubbed my hands together, trying to restore feeling back into my fingers.

"Catnip." His voice was barely audible, and my heart twisted as I saw the expression on his face.

"I'm okay. I'm fine. Really." _Not really_.

"I know."

We both sat in silence, grey eyes locked on each other, before he leaned over and pulled me into his arms. It was so comfortable there, almost like two puzzle pieces fitting together. He planted a kiss on the top of my head, and I couldn't help but think about how different it felt here than with Peeta. Here, I felt loved in the way only Prim brought to me. I felt safe and protected. But with Peeta, every time we touched it was like a spark shooting through my body. I felt alive. With him, I almost felt whole.

Gale's voice brought me back to reality.

"Let's get you back to Blondie, shall we?"

I cringed, remembering the last interaction the two of them shared. Awkward was a gross understatement.

Gale sensed my ambivalence and pulled back to look me in the eyes.

"I'll play nice, Catnip, I promise. Unless he gives me a reason not to, okay?" The look in his eyes told me he was serious, and my mind immediately flashed back to that day in the hospital with Delly. _Stop it, Katniss. We've been over this_. I didn't trust my voice to not betray my anxiety, so I merely nodded back at him.

"Okay then."

* * *

Gale dropped me off back at the hotel twenty minutes later, promising to see me later at the funeral. As supportive as he was being, I could tell he didn't want to see Peeta. I didn't hold that against him. I was just happy to have my best friend by my side again.

I was hit with a burst of warm air as I entered the lobby. It was a busier than when I had left nearly two hours earlier. I hope Prim isn't worried where I went. I am about to head over to the elevators when the woman from the front desk calls out to me.

"Ms. Everdeen?" She looks me over skeptically, as if she is unsure I am the right person.

"Hm?"

"I received word to give you this when you arrived." In her outstretched hand she holds a room key. I take it, and before I can ask her about it she turns and walks back to the desk. _Ms. Everdeen, please proceed to room 301 upon arrival._ I stare at the note, a bit confused, but merely shrug and enter the elevator. After the morning I had, I just want a shower and a bed to lie down on. Whatever is in this room needs to be dealt with quickly. When I get to the third floor, I trudge over to 301 and debate knocking first. I decide to just get it over with and let myself in.

I slowly enter the hotel room, its layout identical to mine aside from a king-sized bed instead of Prim's and my twin beds. The bathroom door swings open and my eyes land upon a freshly showered Peeta. His blonde hair is roughly towel-dried, sticking up at odd angles. His towel is draped around his neck, and my eyes trail down his bare chest to the sweatpants slung low on his hips. I feel that slow burn in the pit of my stomach as I look over his body, and my cheeks flush scarlet with embarrassment. He has a blinding smile on his face and laughs when he sees me ogling him.

I snap back to reality and scowl, which only causes him to laugh even more.

"How did you know where I was?"

"Prim came to my room around 6 saying you were gone, wondering if I had seen you. I figured you had needed some alone time, so I thought I would leave word with the receptionist to have you sent up here."

_He understands. He understands how overwhelmed I have been. He understands my needs. He understands me. What the hell?_

He seems to sense my inner dialogue running through my head, and continues.

"I know this is going to be a hard day, so I thought you could at least have some time to relax this morning." He looks over my disheveled, sopping mess of an appearance and smiles. "Why don't you hop in the shower? The food will be here when you get out."

_Food?_ My mouth salivates and I realize how hungry I am for the first time in what seems like days.

I stand there, like an idiot, unable to respond or move. _What is the matter with me?_

Peeta takes a step closer to me, his bright blue eyes locked on mine, and reaches out a tentative hand towards me. I don't really know what he is about to do , but I give him an almost imperceptible nod anyways.

He exhales, as if he had been waiting with baited breath, and slowly starts to unwind my scarf from around my neck. _He is undressing me. Dear god he is undressing me. _He takes my hands in his and pulls off my gloves, gently placing his lips against my frozen fingertips. His hands drop to the hem of my sweatshirt, and he slides his hands underneath and works it over my head. My heart is racing from the intimacy of his actions, and I find myself wondering how far he is going to take this. _Pretty fucking far, I hope. _

My whole body begins to heat up as I realize the implications of what he is doing, what I am feeling. Our eyes meet again, and I see his have darkened with something I am not used to seeing. _Lust_. A shiver shoots down my spine as I realize how much my expression probably matches his.

He takes my hand again and leads me into the bathroom, sitting me down on the toilet. He turns the shower on high, and steam begins to fill the room. He kneels in front of me to remove my shoes and socks, then runs his hands slowly up my shins to the tops of my thighs. He moves closer so that he is kneeling between my legs, our chests and faces level with each other. I place both of my hands on his bare shoulders, feeling how sturdy and muscular they are. His hands find their way up to my hips, and I let out a small gasp when they slip under the hem of my t-shirt and meet my bare skin. That small noise is all it takes for him to lean forward and press his lips passionately against mine. It feels like fire is coursing through my veins, and I have a desperate need to be as close to him as possible.

My hands wind around his neck, tangling with his hair and pulling our chests flush together. His hands dig into my back as our lips move together. I feel his tongue against my bottom lip, and I let out an involuntary moan that seems to send him over the edge. His hands find their way underneath my thighs and he stands, lifting me up and setting me on the bathroom counter. My legs wrap tightly around his back, and I feel his hardness pressing between my legs. _Oh wow._

I reach down to pull my shirt over my head, breaking our kiss for only a moment, and I see Peeta's eyes widen as he looks over my body. My cheeks redden with embarrassment and I immediately try and cross my arms in front of me. Peeta grabs my wrists in his hands.

"Don't."

We sit for a moment, our chests rising and falling in silence.

"You're perfect, Katniss." He leans down and places a soft kiss right above my heart. My hands find their way back around him as he begins trailing kisses up my chest and neck. _My god, this feels incredible_. It's like I could spend every moment for the rest of my life doing just this and I would be happy.

His lips find my jaw and are about to reconnect with mine when a sharp banging on the door jolts us apart.

"Room Service!"

Peeta drops his head into his hands and groans. I begin trying to untagle myself from him and hop down off of the counter. He takes one of my hands and squeezes it, pulling me in for one soft, chaste kiss before slipping out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

I turn and wipe off the steam that has accumulated on the mirror and finally see my reflection. My lips are red and a bit swollen, and my breathing in heavy. My hair is tangled, half fallen out of the braid, and one of my bra straps has slipped down my shoulder. The thing that surprises me most, however, is the look on my face. My eyes are shining with an expression I've only seen on Peeta's face. They look like his did when he told me he loved me.

_Love._

_Oh god._

_Well that's new._


End file.
